This invention relates generally to palletizers and, more particularly, to robotic palletizers operable to automatically lift and place cartons onto a pallet in a predetermined pattern or arrangement.
As one of the final steps in many manufacturing operations it is necessary to load containers of manufactured products onto pallets for shipment from the manufacturing facility, In high speed, high volume, manufacturing operations, such loading or "palletizing" can be very labor-intensive if performed manually; and a variety of machines or "palletizers" have been developed for automatically performing this function.
Because substantial savings in labor costs can be realized when automatic palletizing is utilized in high speed, high volume operations, such palletizing can be economically justified despite a relatively high initial cost and demanding service requirements for each such palletizing machine. In low speed, low volume operations, however, the potential labor cost savings are far lower, and an automatic palletizer should have a simpler construction and have a relatively lower initial cost if it is to provide a significant economic advantage over manual palletizing.
Prior palletizers have utilized electronic and mechanical encoders, in combination with a computer-based control system, to keep track of the actual position of a carton as it is transported and placed onto a pallet. Although effective, the use of such encoders significantly increases the cost of such prior palletizers, requires service skills of experts and renders such palletizers economically unsuitable for use in low speed, low volume palletizing applications.
In view of the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved robotic palletizer.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a new and improved robotic palletizer which can be economically manufactured and serviced and which can be advantageously utilized in low speed, low volume palletizing operations.